Bot Fly Larvae Removal Leads to Infection - Need Help

[ShutterFox]

I have a 5-6 week baby grey that had 5 bot fly larvae. I was able to remove them 6 days ago. I flushed out each hole with Providone-Iodine solution. The openings closed up but became puffed up with what I was hoping was fluid. But today when feeding her 3 of them opened up and a lot of white thick pus came out. I squeezed as much as I could out of them and flushed it again with Providone-Iodine solution.

My concern is the other two that are quite large now. The opening for these are pretty much healed. Do I need to try and drain those too?

Do I need to get her on antibiotics? If so, what and how much? She is 83 grams.

What do I do with the 3 open wounds? Should I continue to flush it daily?

The squirrel itself is still eating and sleeping as it has always done. She was acting lethargic a week ago so that is when I decided to remove the larvae. After that she seemed to bounce back and still is acting the same. So I don’t think the infection is bad at this time, but am afraid it will get worse soon.

Any help would be much appreciated.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Yes, I would flush them again. Is there a scab where the other two are? If so, I would use a warm compress to see if it will open. It needs to drain. What antibiotic do you have or can get? I have successfully used SMZ-TMP for this but others will work also. It speeds up the healing.

[ShutterFox]

I had a baby squirrel in my early 20’s that I raised, now 25 years later I had a friend that found the squirrel so I jumped at the chance to help another mature and then release it.

So I don’t have much experience in this and I cannot take it to a vet. If I take it to a wildlife center I will have to surrender it, which I will do if it means the squirrel survives.

That being said, I do have a doctor friend that can get me a prescription to just about any human antibiotic, but I would need to know the exact name and dose (if human antibiotics can even be used)

As for the other two, I will check closer at her next feeding to see if there is a scab and do what you suggest if there is. I did not want to stress her out more this last time.

[HRT4SQRLS]

See if you can get either SMZ/TMP (Septra) or Clavamox (Augmentin). Any strength pill will work. We can break it down and give you dosing instructions. He might have sample pills. You only need one.

Actually, in FL there are several squirrel friendly vets BUT if you can get a pill you can do this.

[ShutterFox]

Thank you HRT4SQRLS for the quick replies and advice, I really appreciate it!

I can readily get one pill of Amoxicillin, if not good He can call me in Bactrim(Septra).

As for the other 2 wounds, they are already healed up, no scabs. All I see is a tiny red dot where the opening used to be. Does this mean I need to use a needle and syringe (please say no)? If I do, is there at least a topical anesthetic I can use?

[ShutterFox]

Ok, so my Dr friend told me aspiring with a syringe is no good, that I will need to cut it open so it can drain.. ugh.

So any topical anesthetics I can use?

[HRT4SQRLS]

I wouldn’t use amoxicillin for this. The SMZ/TMP would be better.
It really does need to come out. There is a dead larvae in there that needs to come out. You can start the antibiotics and see how it progresses but I suspect it won’t completely resolve without draining. You actually need a lancet or scalpel rather than a needle. It would be difficult to drain through a pin hole. Squeezing it through a pin hole isn’t a good idea either because you can make it worse by pushing the infection into surrounding tissue and causing cellulitis.

There actually is a topical product that works fantastic for deadening superficial tissues. The problem is that it’s a prescription and I have no idea how much it would cost.
It’s called Lidocaine and Prilocaine Cream, USP 2.5%/2.5%.
I’m sure it has many uses but for me it was used on the skin to make accessing a port painless.
I felt nothing when it was used. A small dab on the skin 30 minutes before and you feel nothing. Would your friend prescribe that?
It would make lancing this painless.

Could you post a pic?

[HRT4SQRLS]

We were typing at the same time.

[ShutterFox]

I will check on the topical anesthetic you mentioned. As for the larvae, it is out, I pulled all 5 out myself and they were already big. So unless there are 2 in the same cavity and one way smaller, I doubt there is a dead one in there.

I have posted a picture of the abscess, but it is a little blurry. Also posted a pic of one of the larvae I removed.

[HRT4SQRLS]

That’s awesome SF. That will make lancing MUCH easier.

Because you don’t have to remove the bot, you could probably do a quick poke to lance it without the topical.